SMICRONYX WEEVILS—-ANDERSON 329 
Biotoey: The only biological information obtained on this species 
are these two host plant records: “Helianthus tuberosa,’”’ Blackjack, 
Mo., Aug. 19 (USNM); ‘‘Helianthus tuberosa,’’ Cross Keys, Mo., 
Aug. 23 (USNM). 
Discussion: The type specimen or type series of S. constrictus 
was evidently destroyed with most of the rest of Thomas Say’s col- 
lection. At least, the type could not be found in a part of the remains 
of the Say collection, located at the Philadelphia Academy of 
Sciences. Therefore, a neotype specimen was selected. The speci- 
men selected as the neotype was evidently collected in Missouri and 
determined by Say as Rhynchaenus constrictus Say. The specimen 
was then sent by Say to the European coleopterist Gyllenhal, who 
referred to it in a description of the species under the name Hrirhinus 
constrictus Say in Schoenherr’s ‘“‘Genera et Species Curculionidum”’ 
(vol. 3, 1836). % Upon examination of the neotype specimen and the 
descriptions of Say and Gyllenhal (all of which agree very closely), 
it is apparent that the species to which many authors (i.e., Dietz, 
1894, and Blatchley and Leng, 1916) refer as Desmoris constrictus 
(Say) is not the species described by Say, but Smicronyz sordidus 
LeConte. As can be seen in the photograph of the neotype (plate 1) 
and in the original description, S. constrictus (Say) should have a 
distinctly curved rostrum. However, the rostrum (particularly in 
the female) of the S. constrictus of the above authors is almost straight. 
This misnamed species is considered by the writer to agree, in respect 
to external structure, with the lectotype of S. sordidus LeConte. 
The true S. constrictus (Say) seems to agree structurally with the 
lectotype of Desmoris pervisus Dietz, and the latter name has been 
placed in synonymy with Smicronyz constrictus (Say). 
DistripuTion: All the material examined was collected at various 
localities in the central lowlands province of the interior plains region. 
The following specimens were examined: 
ILLINOIS: KANKAKEE Co.: Along river 4 miles above Kankakee, June 23 
(CNHM). 
Kansas: No data (CAS). ‘Kans.,” (USNM). MINNESOTA: YELLOW MEDI- 
CINE co.: Hanley Falls, Aug. 1 (USNM). 
MISSOURI: ST. CHARLES Co.: Cross Keys, Aug. 23 (USNM). sv. Lours Co.: 
Blackjack, Aug. 19 (USNM). 
Total specimens examined: 10. 
586455—62——_10 
